Allegiance

Chapter 37

With their heavy, soaked clothes dripping on the floor of the floating castle's hallways, Arthur and Tessia paid the castle staff no mind as they stopped and curiously watched the two of them as they walked by.

"Princess."

Tessia and Arthur stopped dead in their tracks, and Tessia let out an irritated sigh, since this was the fourth time they were stopped already. Tessia and Arthur turned around, facing an elven guard who approached them, his eyes locked on Tessia. He looked her up and down curiously and concerned, wondering what happened.

The guard's eyes flicked to Arthur and narrowed protectively for his princess, wondering if he was the cause of her current state. He looked back to Tessia in all seriousness, "Are you all right, your Highness?"

Noting the guards' look at Arthur, Tessia grew a little irritated, as he had been the recipient of that very same look since they left the courtyard. However, she knew the guards were also just doing their job, so she pushed that irritation down, even with her thinning patience, and gave him a reassuring smile.

"Oh yes, we're fine," Tessia said, looking down at her soaked robe and picking at it before looking back at the guard.

His gaze flicked to Arthur again, narrowing, before looking at Tessia, "What happened?"

Arthur said, "We were-"

The guard's gaze snapped toward Arthur, and he said through gritted teeth, "I wasn't talking to you!"

"Do not speak to him like that!" Tessia snapped fiercely, and the guard flinched, looking at her surprised and suddenly turning pale. All the castle staff who had been standing in the hallway, watching Tessia and Arthur speak with the guard, not minding their own business, suddenly felt very awkward and hurriedly went on their merry way. Tessia looked at the guard angrily, her patience breaking. She was sick and tired of the looks Arthur had been given and how he was being treated. "We were in the courtyard when the irrigation system went off. Arthur didn't do anything wrong. So you and the others can stop looking at him like that."

The guards' gaze shifted down, staring at the floor and not daring to look at Tessia, who was practically seething. The guard nodded, feeling like a child who had just been scolded, "I understand, your Highness."

Arthur, feeling bad for the guard, knowing he was doing his job, looked at Tessia, seeing her angry gaze locked on the guard and her lips pressed together in a thin line. He smiled softly at her and gently took her hand, trying to calm her down.

Tessia's head whipped to Arthur, seeing his smile and how he was unbothered by the guard. He jerked his chin toward the guard, mouthing, I'm okay. He's just doing his job.

Tessia's gaze softened, and she mentally sighed, knowing he was right. She knew the guard wasn't in the wrong. She was just being overly protective of Arthur. Tessia looked at the guard and gave a soft smile. "I'm sorry." The guard looked at her, surprised. "I know you're doing your job. But rest assured, Arthur and I are okay."

The guard's gaze shifted to Arthur, who smiled and nodded to him before looking back to Tessia. He smiled at her, showing he wasn't bothered by her previous snap, "I understand. I'll be on my way, your Highness."

Tessia nodded and watched as the guard walked off. "Now," Tessia began, and she and Arthur looked at each other. "Let's get out of the hallways before we get stopped again."

"Agreed," Arthur chuckled, and she and Arthur continued their way through the hallways. "Did you have a place in mind?"

"Well," Tessia said as she looked at her wet clothing. "Seeing that my clothes are soaked and clinging to me uncomfortably, I was thinking of going to my room to change."